22 3-year-olds nominated to Triple Crown at second deadline
Led by Tampa Bay Derby winner King Guillermo, such highly regarded runners as Pneumatic and Shooters Shoot, as well as the filly Swiss Skydiver and the high-priced auction buy Cezanne, a total of 22 3-year-olds were made eligible to the Triple Crown at the second deadline, which closed Wednesday after being postponed from March.
The list was released on Thursday by Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.
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The usual number of nominees at the second stage is around a dozen, but the postponement of the Triple Crown this year enticed the connections of a number of late developers to make their horses eligible. There were 347 horses made eligible for $600 at the early deadline in January. This second deadline required a $3,000 fee, but that is half of what it has been in the past when it closed in March, yet another concession to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Triple Crown this year will commence with the Belmont Stakes, to be run on June 20 and at 1 1/8 miles instead of its usual 1 1/2 miles. The 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Sept. 5, with the 1 3/16-mile Preakness scheduled for Oct. 3. The usual order is Derby-Preakness-Belmont. The Belmont was originally scheduled for Saturday.
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Several of the late nominees are scheduled to run Saturday at Santa Anita. Shooters Shoot is entered in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, Swiss Skydiver is in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks for fillies, and Cezanne – a son of Curlin who cost $3.65 million as a 2-year-old in training last year – makes his debut in a maiden race.
Others nominated at this second deadline were Alex Joon, American Piper, Bear Alley, Casino Grande, Collusion Illusion, Edge of Fire, Established, High Cruise, Hunt the Front, Lebda, Mystic Guide, Superfecto, Uncle Chuck, Well Connected, Winners Laugh, Winning Impression, and Winning Moment.